


Flyboys

by cynatnite



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-09
Updated: 2011-04-09
Packaged: 2017-10-17 19:13:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Cameron Mitchell and John Sheppard met, they were going to fly planes. Little did they know how their lives would intersect over the years up to joining Stargate Command.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flyboys

One of the first people Cameron Mitchell met when he got to Randolph Air Force Base was his roommate, John Sheppard. Both were junior officers, ready to take off in the fastest jet possible.

Over the weeks, Cam busted his ass to be as perfect as possible. No matter what it was, he made sure he excelled and that was one kind of attention he didn’t mind from his superiors. For his perseverance, he was awarded for it with high marks and letters of commendation.

What intrigued him was Sheppard. The man was a natural-born pilot, putting together flight plans in his head and doing avionics like basic math. Cam was jealous. Hell, everyone was.

What astonished Cam even more was Shep’s attitude as he pushed the limits with every sardonic smile and off-the-cuff remark. It was just one step shy of insubordination and since Shep was one of the few Cam really liked, he would pull out one of his grandma’s prayers in hope he wouldn’t lose his friend. On occasion, Cam would follow up one of Shep’s remarks with one of his own, knowing he was well enough in the good graces of their superiors to not have to worry. Sometimes, not always, it helped diffuse thoughts of reprimands.

They made it to their advanced training, finally. Cam and Shep celebrated by hitting some bars. They got drunk, slipped bills into the garters of strippers, and wound up staggering along the River Walk cracking jokes about how Shep had made a civilian instructor sick with a maneuver in a Cessna.

Rather than make the attempt to get back to base at two in the morning, they headed to a hotel to sleep it off. Cam leaned against the bathroom door, his eyes half open, and could barely contain his grin as Shep stripped off his shirt.

Shep dropped the shirt to the floor and stopped. “What the hell’s the matter with you?”

“Thinkin’.”

“What about?” Shep toed his tennis shoes off and plopped on the bed.

“How much I’m going to enjoy kickin’ your ass if you get booted for being such a smart ass.”

“Didn’t know you cared.”

It didn’t matter how sarcastic the remark was, Cam wished he wasn’t drunk now. He’d beat the hell out of Sheppard if he could at this very moment. “You’re the best damn pilot here, Shep.” Cam started for the bed, pulled off his shirt, and threw it in a corner. “You get kicked out and you’ll wind up being a Boeing 747 taxi driver.”

“I’ve got higher aspirations, Cam.” Shep undid the top button of his jeans and leaned back. “Want to hear something absolutely crazy?”

“No crazier than we’ve been for the last four hours.” Cam was relieved to get his shoes off without falling.

“I want to do the Buzz Aldrin thing.”

“Go to the moon?” Cam did grin then. “Nothing there unless you count the rocks.”

“Maybe a shot at Mars is in my future. Your old man was in the space program, wasn’t he?”

Cam shook his head and sat next to Shep. “Test pilot. We both have got high hopes of my impressing some NASA boys.”

“You can be Chewie to my Han Solo.”

After a laugh, Cam lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. “You won’t make it to NASA is you don’t clean up your act. Last I heard, smart ass flyboys weren’t high on their list of recruits.”

Shep looked down at Cam. “You don’t think I’d make it?”

“Hell, Shep, everybody knows you could make if you’d stop pissing off the instructors. You ought to at least pretend to be in the Air Force.”

“Fuck ‘em.” Shep turned away. “They don’t know anything.”

“Those are some of the ones you gotta kiss up to, partner.” When Sheppard didn’t move, Cam touched his back. The skin was smooth and warm. The feeling of it went to his gut.

Cam watched Sheppard get to his feet. “What’s wrong?”

“Maybe we ought to head back to base.”

He didn’t like the way Shep was looking away from him. “Not until you get over here and tell me what the hell’s going on with you?”

“Let’s not add my fucked-up self to your perfect self.” Sheppard picked up his shirt.

“What the hell?” Cam raised up and leaned on an elbow. He watched Shep fumble with the shirt. “Just stop what you’re doing before you make me puke, Shep.” Finally, Sheppard listened to him. “Now, explain to me what you just said.”

“You can’t order me around.”

“Some day I will,” Cam promised. “Talk to me, Shep. Come on.”

“You’ve been my best friend, Cam. I won’t fuck it up.”

It was indeed a rare moment, Cam thought. No one he knew had been able to breech Shep’s sarcastic exterior. His friend used it as a tool to deflect and dissuade. He was about to find out what it was Shep was hiding from him and the rest of the world.

“Come here,” Cam told him.

Shep stood in the middle of the room unsure. He twisted the shirt in his hands before moving. After sitting on the bed, Shep gazed down at Cam.

Blaming it on the drinking would’ve been a lie and it wasn’t what Cam was about. He knew what he wanted and it was gazing down at him. He always liked Shep’s penetrating green eyes. It was how he knew nothing got by him.

Cam reached up and put his hand on Sheppard’s neck, bringing him down. When their lips were close enough, his eyes closed of their own accord. The kiss was wet, cool, slick, and everything else Cam though it’d be.

Shep finally broke away and taking a moment before speaking. “Wait a sec.”

“I’m not wrong then.”

“You…” Shep stumbled through the words. “I know…what I…but, you’re not…”

“I’m not gay if that’s what you’re failing at asking.” Cam pulled Shep close and whispered, “I’m bi, but who’s counting.”

They met in another kiss, more heated and urgent. Shep moved on top of Cam and dragged his mouth away to his neck. “Think you’ve got me figured out, don’t ya?” he breathed.

“Fuck yeah.” Cam helped Shep get their clothes off.

After they were fully stripped of the rest of their clothing, Shep crawled on top of Cam. It was another melting kiss then moved down to the thick erection.

Cam couldn’t take the fucking Shep was doing with his mouth. He pulled Shep back up and slid down to the end of the bed to get a taste as well. This time, he made Sheppard stay in place as he sucked on him.

When Sheppard was ready, Cam turned him on his stomach and covered Shep's body with his own. “You ready for me, sunshine?” Cam whispered in his ear.

“God, yeah,” Shep answered.

Being inside of Sheppard was as damn erotic as Cam imagined. He loved the way Shep arched his back and he rubbed the ass that was being offered up to him. Thrust for thrust, Shep met each and every one wanting more and wanting it deeper.

It didn’t take long and Shep was up on his hands. “Damn it, Cam!”

Sweat was rolling off of him and as he pounded into Shep he looked upward as if heaven itself was about ready to open up. “Okay, here it fucking comes!” Cam murmured in heated breaths.

By the time Cam orgasmed, Shep had beaten him to the punch. They collapsed on the bed covered in perspiration, uncaring of the wetness from the coupling. Cam rolled off of him and closed his eyes. He was going to say something, but he was just too damn tired. Upon hearing a light snore, he chuckled a little. Sheppard was already sleeping.

The next morning, they woke up with hangovers. Shep left for a short time and returned with coffee and aspirin. He got Cam out of bed and offered the cure for his headache.

Shep started the shower and he hadn’t been under the water for more than a minute when Cam joined him. After washing themselves, Cam grabbed a hold of the shower rod while Shep fucked him to the stars. He’d held onto it so hard that when he finally climaxed, Cam broke the rod and it hit the floor.

They tumbled out of the shower laughing and after drying off, Cam and Shep left the motel room just as the cleaning woman arrived. They spent the next week cracking jokes about shower rods and strippers.

~*~

Every few months, Cam and Shep managed to get away to a motel for a weekend of sex without raising anyone’s suspicions. In the years to come, Shep and Cam viewed their time in San Antonio as some of the best times of their lives. They flew planes, got drunk every few weekends, and picked up girls for appearance’s sake. It worked and no one complained. Their time ended on graduation. After some leave, Cam and Shep would go their separate ways.

Cam was sent on to Vance Air Force Base where he furthered his career in flying F-16’s. He was so well-liked and respected that Cam was given one of the few slots available to future fighter pilots. He went on to other top schools and began to make a name for himself as a good pilot.

Sheppard, on the other hand, was sent to an outlying base in Arizona where he flew and tested various helicopters. His spotty record of borderline sarcasm followed him through his career. He continued to get rave reviews for his flying ability, but poor ones for his sarcasm toward superiors.

The only contact Cam and Shep had with each other was during downtime. The occasional phone call and a postcard here and there were the only real communication between them. More often than not, they missed each other because of their schedules.

Included in a brief letter from Sheppard was a small photo of him and his new bride. Cam was shocked his friend took such a plunge given what he knew of the man. Just over six months later he got a postcard saying, “Me and marriage don’t mix.” Cam could’ve told him that.

Post-9/11 saw the military getting on a war footing. Cam had already been running sorties into Iraq from Saudi Arabia while Shep was sent to Afghanistan. Rather than get a fighter jet slot, Sheppard was assigned to ferry troops back and forth from base to potential war zones.

~*~

January 6, 2003

All the water in the world wouldn’t wash away the blood on Cam. That’s what he was thinking under the hot shower. It’d been a few weeks since it happened, but it still remained fresh in his mind. Cam swore not to close his eyes again and even when he was forced to by way of sleep, the nightmares returned and he heard screaming in them.

In his mind’s eye, he could see the people, the women, and the children being murdered by his bomb. He could hear their cries of terror as they were about to die and he was dogged by it every time he closed his eyes.

Cam finally stepped out of the shower and dried off. He slipped on his sweats and stilled when he heard the knocking at the door. The idea of pretending he wasn’t in his quarters crossed his mind, but when the sound continued Cam opened the door.

He couldn’t believe it. “Goddamn,” Cam said with a hint of a smile. “I figured you were charming Afghan women and gambling for horses.”

“Hey, Cam.”

Cam pulled Shep inside and hugged him. He stepped back to look his friend over. “Still running three miles a day I see.”

Shep smiled a little. “You won’t do more than two.”

“Don’t need it, Hoss.”

They exchanged small grins and Cam went to the mini-fridge. He tossed Sheppard a beer and got one out for himself.

“No prohibition here, I see.” Shep twisted the cap off and tossed it aside.

“I know a general who won’t do a days work unless he’s got some old fashioned Budweiser.”

“You would.”

They both sat and Cam studied Sheppard. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Sheppard looked down at the bottle. “Hopped a C130 that’s got a fourteen hour layover here. Thought I’d make sure you can still fly straight.”

“You still had six months to go in Afghanistan.”

“I did.” Sheppard took a long drink. “My commanding officer thought a change of climate was in order.”

Cam set his beer aside. “Aw, Shep, what did you do?”

“What you would’ve done.” Sheppard thought for a moment. “Maybe not.”

Watching Sheppard rub his eyes, Cam realized that whatever it was that had happened was wearing on him. He kept silent and waited for him to talk.

“Colonel Bingham could’ve told the brass the Taliban had the area locked up. He cared more about getting a goddamn star.”

“Shep.”

“Okay,” Sheppard sighed. “I was ordered to fly a team in. They were to take out two Taliban leaders and one of those was a cleric. The team leader was a guy named Matt Holland. We got tight…played basketball and hustled each other in games of poker. We both knew what the risks were and I even tried to talk him into refusing the mission, but he wouldn’t…so I flew him and his guys in.”

“Special Forces?” Cam asked.

“Yeah. We dropped them a few klics from the mission site. By the time I got back to operations the mission was starting to go south. They were getting hit from all sides. I requested to go after them and Bingham said no.” Sheppard’s face hardened when he looked at Cam. “The bastard said it was too risky and we couldn’t afford to lose a bird. Can you believe it?” After Cam nodded, Shep continued. “I heard Holland asking for pickup. Hell, he was damn near begging for it. I started to leave and Bingham ordered me to stay put.”

“And you said what?”

“I said ‘fuck you, sir and went for the rescue. They were in a running firefight all the way to the bird. Holland just barely made it. He was dead by the time I landed.’”

“God, Shep, I’m sorry.” Cam finished off the last of his beer and leaned back. No words passed between them for several minutes. “Disobeying orders sure as hell won’t get you in a jet.”

“I’ve already disabused myself of that notion. I won’t be playing taxi driver in a 747. Instead, I’ll be ferrying higher-ups and scientists in a little Huey around McMurdo.”

“What?” Cam couldn’t believe it. “You’re the best damn pilot in the Air Force and they’re putting you on a fucking glacier?”

“I appreciate you getting pissed for me, but it won’t be so bad.”

“They’re sinking your career, Shep.”

“My career was already sunk, buddy. I knew it when they put me on a helicopter in the middle of a war zone.” Shep folded his arms over his head and gave Cam a half-hearted grin. “It’ll be quiet with nobody shooting at me. I can do that until I retire.”

“You don’t retire for another 13 years, cowboy.”

Shep just shrugged his shoulders. He looked at Cam who got up to replenish the beer. “So, how’s life in the desert. I’ve heard the sand’s a real bitch.”

“Just one of many,” Cam sighed. He went to Sheppard and held out the beer.

“What happened?” Shep asked after taking the bottle.

Cam tore at the label. “I got a fucking medal.”

Rather than congratulate him, Shep studied Cam. He waited a moment before speaking. “For what?”

“Not for this, but I got it a week after it happened.” Cam shook his head. “Thought I was going to puke the whole time they were pinning it to my uniform. I’m supposed to have a clear conscience after dropping a bomb on what I was told was the bad guys…instead, they were refugees.”

“It won’t matter what I say, will it?”

“Nope.” Cam dropped the torn pieces of the label onto the floor.

“We’re a pair, aren’t we, Cam? I wanted to save those men and couldn’t. You had no idea you killed civilians until after the fact.”

“Guess we’re both fucked.”

“I’d rather just get fucked right about now.”

Cam turned his head and he looked right into Shep’s eyes. “Me, too.”

Nothing else needed to be said. They finished off their beers in silence and went to Cam’s bed. After undressing, Cam pulled the covers down. They met on the bed, beginning with a kiss. Without saying a word, their bodies melded together. For the remainder of the night the rest of the world was forgotten as Cam and Shep found relief from the war and the rest of life.

The next morning Shep took a relaxing shower and Cam fixed him breakfast. Shep was about to beg off, but after getting a speech about grandma from Cam, he sat and ate. They said their goodbyes and went back to the real world.

~*~

October 13, 2003

When Cam was told he was being given a highly classified assignment he suspected he was going to wind up staying in the desert for some type of covert ops. He was flown to Washington D.C. and when he found out what the assignment was Cam almost pinched himself to make sure he was awake. All the Star Trek episodes in the world couldn’t have prepared him for what he was about to undertake.

Once he got to Area 51, Cam was given mission briefings to study and he wound up staying awake the entire night reading them. It was too surreal to even sleep and Cam next headed to a classified briefing. His heart almost stopped beating when he saw the photos of the fleet of X302’s.

Being told about a Stargate that transported people to planets and over-dressed bad guys that had wicked looking snakes in their heads couldn’t even touch all the science fiction movies he’d seen. He was going to learn how to fly those space age birds and defend the planet. Cam was thrilled at the prospect, but what he really wanted to do was check out that gate of theirs. The notion of seeing new worlds, kicking some bad guy ass and saving the galaxy set his imagination soaring.

Over the next months he became proficient at flying the new aircraft and once they passed from sunlight into space, he thought maybe his grandma was right. There really was a heaven. Never in his wildest dreams would Cam ever imagine he’d have the number two greatest job on the planet. Maybe he’d get a shot at the number one job someday.

Word came down from the brass about a fleet of Goa’uld ships headed in their direction. Cam got his gear together and when he was told they were headed to McMurdo he thought of Shep. He almost went to the general to get Sheppard involved, but stopped short of it.

Cam cursed his stupidity for not pushing for Sheppard to be a part of it from the beginning. He’d been so caught up in the excitement that thoughts of John Sheppard fell to the wayside. There was no way Shep could get oriented in time and they wouldn’t allow it in the first place. Cam didn’t doubt they’d nix Shep as a pilot once they got a load of his record.

Upon arriving at McMurdo, Cam found Sheppard at the mess hall. They exchanged a brief hug. “I see they haven’t put you with the penguins.”

“Not without trying,” Shep retorted. “What are you doing here?”

Cam paused for a moment. “It’s classified. I can’t tell you.”

Shep nodded. “Sure, I understand. This place has been jumping for the last few hours. You’d think it was the end of the world the way everyone’s running around.”

God, Shep, Cam thought. If you had any idea. “I can’t stay, Shep. I just wanted to see you before I go.” I might not get another chance.

“You better come back from whatever the hell you’re doing.”

“Yeah.” Cam smiled a little. “Take care of yourself, man.”

~*~

Less than hour later, Shep was talking with a mechanic when a colonel hurried into the hanger. “Captain Sheppard!”

“Yes, sir.”

“With me…now!”

Sheppard followed and was allowed into operations. Several officers were huddled around a screen and the colonel directed him to them. One of the older generals straightened.

“You’re Sheppard?”

“Yes, sir.”

“They say you’re a damn good pilot with a shitty attitude.”

“I think shitty is too strong a word. Don’t you, sir?”

“Can it, Sheppard,” The general roughly ordered. He turned toward the radar. “Look at this.”

A storm front was moving into an area almost 60 miles northwest of the base. To Sheppard’s trained eye it looked mean enough to kill.

“Can you fly in it?”

“I think so, sir.”

“Be damn sure, Sheppard. We’ve got a downed pilot and his navigator. They still might be alive.”

“I’ll make sure I get ‘em back here, sir,” he promised.

“I’m giving you security clearance for as far as there and back,” the general explained. “You tell anyone what you see and hear and you'll be cooling your heels on this icecube until you're drawing social security.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the general nodded, Sheppard headed to the hanger. He was given a UH-60 Blackhawk. For as much as he hated the birds, they had the weight to withstand the heavy winds he was facing.

While Sheppard prepped he saw the flight surgeon and a medic head over. Once he got the go ahead, he lifted off and headed toward the downed pilot.

The winds continued to strengthen and visibility narrowed. Sheppard glanced at the copilot who was looking out the window. It was getting even more difficult to see anything.

He radioed back to the base and got better guidance. Flying into the wind made for rough handling and Shep kept an iron grip on the stick. He took a glance out his window and saw an oddly shaped object.

Shep circled once again and determined it was in fact a plane of sorts. He landed the helicopter and watched the flight surgeon and medic run to the downed aircraft. It took a few minutes of waiting and Sheppard saw the waving of an arm.

“Wait here,” he told the copilot.

The horrid cold went right through all seven layers of clothing. The thick undergarments and his winter garments did little to protect him from the frigid wind. A person could freeze in a matter of minutes without adequate protection. Sheppard stopped a few feet from the plane and stilled. He’d never seen anything like it before. This was no ordinary aircraft.

“We need help getting him out without further injury to his spine!” the surgeon yelled over the loud wind.

“Sir,” the medic said from the other side. “The navigator’s dead.”

Sheppard moved closer and the bottom fell out of his gut. “Cam.”

He was unconscious. Sheppard could feel the heat from inside the plane. Somehow Cam had managed to get some warmth going from the engine to keep them from freezing to death. After being instructed on getting Cam out, Sheppard helped ease his friend onto the board. He leaned down. “Hang on, Cam. We’re getting you out of here.”

Cam was strapped down and they got him to the Blackhawk onto a stretcher hooked into the wall. Sheppard watched the flight surgeon and medic start working on him.

“What about the navigator?” Shep asked.

“We’ve got to get the pilot back to McMurdo ASAP,” the surgeon said. “When the weather breaks they’ll come after the navigator’s body.”

As much as Sheppard hated leaving anyone behind be they alive or dead, he cared more at this point in making sure Cam stayed alive. When they took off, Shep realized they’d have a tougher time getting back to base with the fierce winds bucking the helicopter back and forth.

He got them back to base safely and he followed Cam to the small base hospital. Pacing back and forth in the waiting room, time seemed to move at a snail’s pace. He turned to see a guy with glasses in solid green BDU’s asking about Cam at the nurses’ station. After not getting an answer the guy came toward the waiting room.

Shep glanced up from the coffee cup and got a look. He didn’t look military. His uniform didn’t even look like a uniform the way it fit him.

“You know the guy in surgery?” he asked as he pushed up the glasses on his face.

“Yeah, Cam Mitchell. We trained together.”

“Oh. I’m Daniel Jackson.”

Shep shook his hand. “How do you know Cam?”

“I don’t.” Daniel had a brief awkward look on his face before he continued. “You could say he saved our asses…well, everyone’s. I told some friends I’d check on him before we headed out.”

When Daniel rubbed his eyes, Shep realized whatever it was that happened had taken a toll on him as well. He couldn’t begin to guess what had happened on the outskirts of McMurdo. “Cam’s strong. He’s not going to ruin his perfect record by dying.”

Shep wanted to smile, but he couldn’t. Neither could Daniel by the looks of it.

~*~

May 25, 2004

He was going to get his legs back. Cam didn’t give a damn what they said. It was those slim odds they were giving him which pushed him each and every day. No matter how low his morale got, Cam kept going and was beginning to surprise some folks with small movements.

The doctors at Walter Reed were pleased and continued to encourage him, but their attempts at realistic expectations made Cam want to fight harder. No way was he going to live his life in a wheelchair. He thought often of his Dad who had refused to quit. Even after a debilitating airplane crash had taken his father’s legs, Cam’s Dad had persevered and to this day he spent ninety percent of his time wearing prosthetics and walking everywhere.

The calls from Sheppard came regularly and Cam appreciated his friend’s sense of humor and sarcastic comments more than he would say. His depression always lifted and he became even more determined to become the man he was prior to the crash.

Today he was tired and had even snapped at the physical therapist during their session. Cam sat in the wheelchair and stared out the window at a plane far off into the distance. The ringing of the phone got his attention and he grabbed it off the nightstand.

“Yeah.”

“Figured you’d still be at therapy,” Sheppard told him.

“I decided to shorten the torture session for today. What about you?”

“Scientists are dicks who should be force marched to their secret bunker and left there.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Just one guy. If I hear him call me ‘the cute flyboy’ one more time I’m liable to push him out of the helicopter the next time he needs a ride.”

Cam laughed. “Sounds like you two have a future.”

“So have you picked one?”

“One what?”

“An assignment. I hear Belgium is the best spot in the world. A guy can make general before the age of 40.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Cam smiled a little. “I just can’t tell you.”

“Ah, security clearance, right?”

“You got it, Einstein.”

“Remember Covington at Randolph?”

“Yeah, the guy with the funny nose. Said no one would take bets you’d get past captain.”

“Except for you.”

“He called me the dumbest flyboy he’d ever met because of it.”

“You may want to go collect on that bet, buddy.”

“You’re kidding?” Cam couldn’t believe it. “It’s about damn time, Shep. I still outrank you, though.”

“That’s the only thing you got on me. I gotta go, Cam. They don’t give us a lot time on these satellite phones.”

“Shep, you deserve that promotion.”

“Thanks.”

Cam hung up the phone and turned back to the window. After thinking for a moment, he turned the wheelchair around and left to find the physical therapist. He owed her an apology and he owed it to himself to finish up the session.

 

~*~

July 16, 2004

Cam was wheeling his way to physical therapy when one of the nurses caught up to him. “You look like you’re on fire, Maggie? What’s the hurry?”

“General O’Neill’s calling from McMurdo. He says it’s urgent.”

He stopped the chair and looked up at her. “I thought he was out of the country.”

After spinning the wheelchair around, Cam went back to his room and grabbed the phone. “Mitchell, here. What’s the emergency, sir?”

“I’ll tell you what the goddamn emergency is!” Jack yelled in his ear. “The pilots here look like they haven’t even graduated high school…that’s what!”

“Sir?” Cam couldn’t hold back his smile.

“Mitchell, they tell me you can accurately rate every Air Force pilot that exists according to ability. I need one who can fly his way through hundred-mile-an-hour blizzards.”

“There’s a blizzard, sir?”

“No,” Jack admitted. “But you never know.”

“I see, sir.”

“Don’t get snappy, Mitchell.”

“No, sir. Your man is John Sheppard. He’s the best pilot there is and he’s at McMurdo, sir.”

“Do I want to know why the Air Force’s top pilot is cooling his heels in a frozen wasteland?” Jack asked.

“Trust me, sir. He’s the best. He’s the one that flew me out of there when my 302 crashed.”

“Good enough, Mitchell.”

Cam hung up the phone and crossed his fingers. Maybe this would be the opportunity Shep needed to get off that iceberg.

~*~

In the mess hall, Shep was almost finished with a large crossword puzzle he’d been working on for three days. The boredom at times was about as much as he could take. He had enough clearance to taxi brass and scientists to some outpost not far from Cam’s crash site. It helped to ease the routine which was now beginning to get to him.

Most of the time, Sheppard ignored the higher-ups and the scientists. As soon as he landed, he’d walk to the warm insulated tent where he would nurse a cup of coffee until it was time to leave. He wasn’t allowed to go anywhere else, so Shep would work on a puzzle, read a book, or whatever else he could find to keep him preoccupied.

“You Sheppard?”

Shep looked up at the general who was studying him with cynical eyes. He got to his feet. “Yes, sir.”

“Flight’s got your plan. You’ve got fifteen minutes to get me up in the air.”

He walked out leaving Shep standing. “Yes, sir,” he muttered.

As ordered, Shep got in the Huey and as they took off he heard the general’s voice through his helmet.

“What’s your story?”

“Story, sir?”

“Cam Mitchell called you the best pilot there is. Is it true?”

“He likes to exaggerate,” Shep answered.

“He also said you’re the one that got him back to McMurdo alive.”

“We’ve known each other since Randolph, sir.”

“And what’s the rest of the story?” Jack asked.

Crap, Sheppard thought. “I disobey orders from my superiors, sir.”

“Has this predilection for disobeying orders killed anyone, Sheppard?”

“It hasn’t saved anyone, sir.”

Shep gave Jack a quizzical look as he began answering questions about his flying experience, and then a drone almost killed them.

When Sheppard finally landed the helicopter, he took off the helmet and glanced at Jack. “You okay, sir?”

“What you said earlier…”

“What, sir?”

“About disobeying orders not saving anyone…you’re wrong.” Jack leaned towards him. “It saved me.”

Sheppard stepped out of the helicopter ready for some hot coffee. He was almost there when Jack said his name.

“Come on.”

“I don’t have clearance, sir.”

“You do now.”

Following General O’Neill, Sheppard wondered if he’d finally get a look at the new aircraft. He’d been aching for a look since the first time. Asking was on the tip of his tongue, but as they got on the elevator, Shep changed his mind.

It started downward and he leaned forward only to see the tunnel they were in going deeper into the ice. As they descended, Sheppard suddenly got the feeling his life was about to change.

~*~

July 23, 2004

Cam was finishing up his horrible lunch as the front desk clerk walked into his room.

“My grandma’s blind poodle wouldn’t touch this stuff you call food,” Cam commented.

“That’s why we don’t give it to poodles, sir.” He handed Cam a stack of mail and took the tray away.

While Cam sorted through his mail, he muttered, “Aren’t they the lucky ones.”

He stopped at a postcard and flipped it over. It said, “I’m off the ice cube and I have no idea where I’m going.” At the bottom was the familiar scrawl of “Shep”. Cam leaned over and propped it on the nightstand.

Cam knew where Shep was going. Daniel Jackson had called to tell him about the new discoveries being made at the outpost. There was little doubt in his mind that Sheppard would meet the challenge head-on.

~*~

July 17, 2005

O’Neill gave in too easily, Cam thought. He grabbed a poker and urged the flames in the fireplace higher. The general didn’t give it a second thought when he gave permission for Cam to borrow the cabin. He’d gotten a couple of days off after a thorough reading SG1 mission reports back to back. Cam was undeniably thankful for a short vacation.

The knocking brought his thoughts back to the present rather than the reason for the time off. He set the poker back in its place and knowing who was on the other side he opened the door.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Cam said. “You didn’t forget how to drive.”

Shep smiled a little. “O’Neill told me if I wrecked his truck he’d send me someplace worse than McMurdo.”

“He didn’t mean it.” Cam stepped aside. “Come on in, buddy.” After closing the door, he watched Shep wander around the living room then stop near the fireplace. “Take a load off. Gotta be hard work fighting all those Wraith.”

“This is nice,” Shep told him.

Cam headed to the kitchen and came back carrying two beers. He handed one off to Shep, before opening his. “I hear you kicked some ass in Pegasus.”

After taking a long drink, Shep shrugged his shoulders. He moved about the room looking it over. “We held our own.”

Something was wrong. “They scurried their life-sucking selves out which puts Atlantis at one and them…zero.”

“Scoreboards never tell the full story.” Shep stopped to look over a model plane sitting on a shelf. “You ever get tired of people liking you so much, Cam? O’Neill’s got to like you a little more than the average to loan you this place.”

“He says I remind him of himself.” Cam walked over to Shep. “What happened out there, Shep?”

“Oh, you know.” Sheppard shrugged his shoulders. “This and that. Trying to get by like everyone else.”

“Right.” Cam didn’t believe him. He finished off the bottle and set it down. “You’re staying, right?”

Sheppard shook his head. “No. I’ve got to get back.”

“The Daedalus isn’t due to leave for another couple of days. You’ve got something pressing?”

“Oh, you know…”

“You already said that,” Cam interrupted.

“Why the hell did you want me out here, Cam?” Shep asked. The anger he’d been keeping a handle on for the past year was starting to slip from his grasp. “If you want to fuck, let’s hit the sack right now.”

“Fuck you.” Cam took his bottle, walked away and put it in the trash. He came back to the living room and saw Sheppard at the fireplace again, staring at the flames. When Cam got to him, he put a hand on Shep’s shoulder, but a fist was suddenly headed in his direction.

Cam blocked it and he was just about to take Shep to the floor when a blow landed on his ribs. Cursing himself for not seeing it, Cam retaliated and before he knew it they were exchanging hits with few connecting. They blocked each other’s attempts and Cam was surprised at how well Shep was keeping up with him.

The back of his leg was kicked and he landed on his back. Cam swung his leg around and brought Sheppard down to the floor with him. They rolled on the floor trying to get the better of one another. When Cam was on top of Sheppard he was breathing hard and perspiration was rolling down his neck.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Cam rolled off of Shep to a sitting position. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Sheppard sat up and wiped the sweat off his face. “I don’t know. Sorry.”

“We’re not just fuck buddies, Shep. We’re friends. Come on, man. Talk to me.”

“I killed my CO, Cam. Shot him in the chest.”

Cam turned his head toward Shep. “I know. You didn’t have a choice.”

“I woke up the goddamn Wraith and now people are paying for it.” Sheppard lowered his head and closed his eyes. The image of the life being drained from Sumner was still in his head. “I keep telling myself it’s not my fault and that I had no way of knowing what the Wraith was about, but…”

“Yeah, it doesn’t change anything.” Cam used his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow. “And you’re taking the blame for what happened to Ford, too.”

“Not all of it.”

“Enough of it, knowing you. At least you’ve got a few battles won, Shep. No telling what I’ll be running into once we start walking through the puddle on a regular basis.”

“You’ll be perfect, as usual.”

“You can be optimistic for the both of us.” Cam shifted his gaze to Sheppard. “Where in the hell did you learn those moves?”

“Oh.” Shep smiled. “Athosian girl on my team. Teyla. You?”

“Mean Mandy at Walter Reed. I don’t think she’s human,” Cam joked.

“I don’t want to know who’d win in that fight.” Sheppard folded his legs and leaned forward. “They’re going to find someone to take Sumner’s place. Maybe you should volunteer so the new CO won’t shoot me.”

“No they won’t,” Cam told him. “O’Neill said he doesn’t want your predilections to become someone else’s headache…whatever the hell that means.”

Sheppard laughed remembering his conversation with O’Neill during that fateful helicopter ride. “They’ve gotta promote me first.”

“Oh, they will when they figure out you’re the best man for the job.”

“I like it there, you know. It’s the only place that ever felt like home. Got a good team, too….well, minus Ford if we don’t get him back.”

“Shep, you don’t think he’s been compromised from this enzyme? You still think he’d be fit even if you managed to find him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Just don’t count on it.”

Shep turned to look at him. “Come here,” he said in a low voice.

Cam knew what Sheppard wanted and he scooted over. His mouth was taken with urgency and he opened wider for better access. The next thing he knew, Sheppard was on top of him trying to remove his clothes. He hurried to help and when he was almost undressed he helped Shep off with his.

Before Cam could think, Sheppard was back on top of him kissing and moving against him. Their cocks were already hot and needing more. He was rolled to his stomach and Cam braced the floor with his hands as his legs were pushed apart.

“Goddamn, Shep,” Cam breathed as his ass was stretched and readied.

Shep was inside him and fucking him into the floor. Cam egged him one wanting more and wanting it deeper. He was almost there and when Sheppard came inside of him, Cam arched his back helping milk the cock for all it was worth.

Cam was put on his back and he laid back with eyes closed while Sheppard gave him a blow job for the ages. Sheppard took his cock to the back of his throat and Cam exploded. “Fuck!”

When the powerful meeting of the flesh had ended Sheppard rested his head on Cam’s stomach. “God, I needed that.”

“I’ll just die right here.”

“Someone’s got to get up and get the beer.”

“Not me,” Cam replied. “I’m still on bottom.”

“I did all the work,” Shep reminded him.

“Well, at least there are no shower rods.”

Sheppard busted out laughing and Cam patted himself on the back for his clever wit. They got up and, after a joint shower, they fixed a meal.

Afterwards, they relaxed in the living room and Cam marveled at hearing Sheppard describing their adventures. During one such story, Cam furrowed his eyebrows together.

“What?” Sheppard asked.

“He really thinks he’s that important?”

“Well, he really is that important and I’d put him up next to your Carter any day of the week.”

“I don’t know, Shep. Carter’s pulled SG1’s asses out of the fire with her brains.”

“McKay knows more about ancient technology than anyone and that includes Colonel Carter.”

It suddenly occurred to Cam what he was seeing. “He’s the one that called you a cute flyboy, isn’t he? Jackson told me he was at Antartica.”

“Don’t remind me,” Shep answered. “He’s got an ego the size of a mothership and a mouth that…”

Cam’s grin grew wider. “You got a thing for him.”

Sheppard stood up and went to the window. “Even if I did, there’s not a thing I can do about it and you know it.”

“Didn’t stop us,” Cam reminded him.

“Atlantis is a lot smaller than San Antonio and it’s not the same.”

“It’s in another galaxy, Shep.” Cam stood up and moved in behind him. “You’re just afraid of losing a primo job that every officer in the Air Force who is in the know about the SGC would give his right arm for.”

Sheppard turned around and looked into Cam’s eyes. “It’s my home, Cam. I won’t risk losing it.”

“Yeah, I know,” Cam sighed. “Who knows what could happen in the future. The military might just dump that stupid policy. With all the bad guys piling up at our doorstep these days, they may come around.”

“You can be optimistic for the both of us,” Sheppard told him with a grin.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

They stayed up late talking into the night. Sheppard fell asleep on the couch and after Cam covered him with a blanket he headed to the bedroom. As he undressed, he knew their shared moments together were over. He could very well believe that a mouthy scientist like McKay would get Shep’s attention. Cam didn’t mind. Hell, he was happy for Shep. No one deserved it more.

~*~

The next morning, Sheppard stood on the porch with Cam. “You got anyone here?”

“Think I’m going to tell you?” Cam teased.

“I owned up to mine,” Sheppard reminded him.

“I’ll tell you next time we see each other.”

“I’m holding you to that, Cam.”

“You do that, Shep.”

After a tight hug, Cam watched Sheppard head to the truck and get inside. They gave each other a wave and as John Sheppard drove away, Cam smiled. They’d see each other again.

The End


End file.
